World Health Organization (WHO) officials have warned that the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak could include a second peak.

It warned countries - even those that had successfully suppressed the virus and are relaxing restrictions put in place to combat the disease it causes - to remain "on high alert".

"We may get a second peak in this wave. This happened during pandemics in the past,"

Dr Michael Ryan, WHO's emergencies chief, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

He urged countries to continue to implement public health measures and to keep in place strategies to "ensure that we continue on a downward trajectory."

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on the coronavirus outbreak, said a number of studies indicated that large swathes of the population were still susceptible to infection.

"This virus, if it finds an opportunity, will start an outbreak," she said.

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